On Sunday morning I will be joining thousands of other people jamming one lane of Brisbane's Gateway Bridge as we make our way to New Farm Park.
No, it's not protest march lamenting the demise of Friends. It's the annual Bridge to Brisbane charity run for the benefit (this year) of the Guide Dogs for the Blind Association of Queensland.
Ging was the instigator of this philanthropy, but I'm looking forward to it. I haven't been on a fun run in years. We're only doing the 4.25km run instead of the 12km, and I've just looked at the map and we won't be running over the bridge after all. Bummer.
A heart-stopping breakfast and coffee in New Farm afterwards is going to taste mighty fine.
Feeling very James Bond villain at the moment.
Edited: 27-7-04
And this is the photo Ging is referring to...not for cat lovers.
Been meaning to post this awhile, but I've been too busy preparing for it. All those hours in make-up, the research that goes into it, making sure I've got enough grease in my system to combat the effects of the Saturday night before...
The Boots'N'All TV show at noon on Sundays.
To be honest, I've never watched it, but I'm sure it can't hold a candle to the real thing.
Aussies love their sports and I could post every weekend with this exact same title and drivel on about the upcoming NRL (rugby league) and AFL fixtures (Aussie Rules). But every now and again there's something extra special to get the crowds fired up.
Today is one of those days with the Tri-Nations rugby union tests kicking off tonight with the Wallabies taking on the All Blacks. The papers this week have been full of stories about NZ desperate to avenge their 'shock' loss to Australia in the 2003 World Cup semi-final in November last year. Kiwi halfback Justin Marshall has said he wants to put a hit on George Smith in retaliation for Smith taking him out in a late tackle in that game.
But all the talk ends this afternoon and it should be a cracking game. Both sides are in good form despite some injuries to key players. If anything, the biggest influence on the match will be the Wellington weather. It's supposed to be shithouse down there at the moment so we'll see which side holds the ball better in slippery conditions. Australia's record at the "Cake Tin" is pretty good too (1 loss in 5 visits).
Sit back and enjoy one of the most compelling international rivalries going around at the moment. Go the Wallabies!
I was looking forward to my weekend in Canberra for the people I was going there to see than for the city itself. Canberra has something of a reputation for being very sterile, boring and you'd only ever live there if you were somehow involved with the Federal government.
But in recent years, Australia's capital has undergone something of a renaissance. Some large companies have moved there, and the tourism office has some excellent sites to promote. Some of these include the Australian War Memorial, the Institute of Sport, Questacon, Royal Australian Mint, the National Museum and Library, and the old and new Parliament Houses. Some of these charge an entry fee, but plenty are free or donation.
As you drive around Canberra you see all these impressive buildings and none more so than new Paliament House. Although it might resemble a hobbit house because it's underneath a hill and you can have a picnic right above where politicians spin their bullshit, I reckon it's a beautiful structure. It's also open to the public every day and free tours go through it every half hour.
Just up the wide expanse of ANZAC Parade is the equally impressive Australian War Memorial. This is where I chose to spend my limited sight-seeing time and I can heartily recommend it. It's free (or donation) to get in and even though I spent 5 hours walking around it, I didn't see everything. While the layout is a little confusing at first, you are given a map as soon as you walk in the door to help you find your way around (and it also includes a list of 'must see' features, so you can go straight to the highlights). The exhibits change fairly frequently but the standing exhibits are excellent as well and cover Australia's involvement in wars, regional conflicts and peacekeeping efforts from the Boer War (before we were officially Australia) all the way through to the current war in Iraq. Naturally the largest exhibits are those for the First and Second World Wars and you could easily spend a day wandering these two halls.
Another excellent exhibit is the Hall of Valour - 57 of the 96 Victoria Crosses won by Australians are on display in the largest publicly accessible collection of VCs in the world. Along with each VC is a photo of the recipient as well as a brief bio and an excerpt from their commendation (ie: why they received the medal). As I read about the actions of these men, I was amazed at what humans will do under extreme duress and to protect their mates.
Canberra in winter is a cold place and also very dry. The effects of massive bushfires a couple of years ago are still very visible and water restrictions are still in effect. The city looked a little bleak and stark, but it was easy to see how good it would look once Spring comes.
If you're coming to Canberra, don't expect to be able to walk everywhere. The place is quite spread out and you'll need either a car or figure out their (apparently) excellent bus system.
Wonder if the government will start thinking of ways to make the starved 'roos a defense force?
The third and deciding game of the State of Origon series kicks off tonight and it has all the makings of a classic. The Blues coach (who every QLD'er loves to hate) is stepping down after the series (although he's said that before too) and one of their key players who made a comeback for this series wants to go out on a winning note.
Queensland, for their part, have never won at Telstra stadium in 9 attempts. They have a pretty stable team set-up and they're coming off the back of a great win in Brisbane 3 weeks ago.
Whatever happens, it should be a cracking game of footy. Got the chips and beer and the pizza's in the oven - Let the war begin!
More on the baby-killing Dingo.
The story of the dingo running away with an infant is one of the first things I learned about when I went to Australia. Along with the drop bear.